Gods and Generals - Jeff Shaara [96]
He turned, saw the faces of his colonels, said, “Gentlemen, we have been ordered to withdraw. So, we will withdraw. Right now, lose no time, move across the dam as quickly as you can. Lots of noise, let them know we are leaving. We are running away, their numbers are overwhelming us.” He laughed, and the officers did not understand, looked at each other, and Custer stood up beside him, followed his gaze out to the wide-open field.
Hancock said to his commanders, “Gentlemen, when you top that first rise, form your men into battle line . . . facing this way. Then you will wait for my orders.”
The officers spread out through the troops, and the column formed quickly, began to cross the dam.
Hancock saw Lieutenant Hughes, called him over and said, “Lieutenant, are Wheeler’s batteries where I wanted them, in those far trees there?”
“Yes, sir. Colonel Wheeler understood your orders plainly, sir.”
Good, he thought. Very damned good. Wheeler would not move his guns without word from him first, no matter who sent the order.
“Lieutenant, I want you to ride like hell across that field, find Colonel Wheeler and tell him to prepare for an assault. Tell him we are withdrawing across his line of fire, and to keep a sharp watch on our movements. I will give him a signal. I will wave my sword in the air—tell him, once we pass across his line of fire to keep watching me. He will know what to do.”
“Yes, sir.” Crane moved toward the dam, pushing through the line of men, and Hancock watched him ride out across the open grass.
Behind him rebel troops, Early’s troops, were cutting their way through the dense woods, and now the pickets had made it through, began to fire at the blue coats filing out of the works. Hancock pointed Custer in their direction, and the young lieutenant ran toward the sound of the muskets, collecting men, placing them on the dirt wall, and quickly they fired a volley, then another, and the annoying fire was slowed, the pickets driven back into the cover of the dark woods.
Hancock pointed the glasses back toward the other earthworks, saw lines of men moving out, toward him, blending into the tall swamp grass. The rebels were now in pursuit of his retreating troops.
Custer ran toward him, and Hancock saw they were nearly alone in the earthworks. The last men were crossing the dam, and his troops were marching in ragged formation across the field, beginning the slight climb up toward the first crest.
“Excuse me, General, but there are rebel troops on two sides of us, advancing rapidly. I suggest, sir, it is time to leave.”
Hancock hopped up on the wall that faced the woods, saw lines of men pouring out through the trees, easy musket range away, and he jumped down, said, “Yes, Lieutenant, we must join the retreat. Try to look as panicked as you can.”
“Sir?”
“Let’s move, Lieutenant.”
Hancock ran across the dam, Custer close behind. The balls began to fly by now, poorly aimed at a rare target. They reached the horses and received the reins from a very nervous aide, who quickly ran toward the withdrawing lines of his own unit. Hancock spurred his horse, thought, This is not the time to be stubborn, old girl, and the mare moved in a quick jump, began to glide up the long incline, past the swiftly marching troops.
He stopped at the crest of the hill, could see it all now. The Confederate troops had swarmed over the works, were crossing the dam, hard in pursuit. He saw the whole picture now in his head, the plan came to him like a clear blue light, like a window opening in his brain, a sudden flow of clean, cool air, and he smiled. Yes, yes. He turned, looked back to the line of trees that had brought them there, felt the presence of the big guns, Wheeler’s guns, and he knew Wheeler was watching him, somewhere, up in a tree. Keep watching, my good man, you are about to see it unfold.